Heart disease is the foremost cause of death for both men and women in the
United States. Heart disease can lead to sudden cardiac arrest, which will
produce death without medical intervention. Proper use of an automated external defibrillator (AED) increases the chance of survival for a person
experiencing cardiac arrest. An AED is a portable, battery-operated device that is able to check a person’s
heart rhythm via adhesive electrodes that communicate with the AED’s internal
computer. If needed, the AED can deliver an electric shock to the person’s
heart. Administering an electric shock to the heart may be necessary in order to
restore the heart’s normal rhythm. When a person suffers from sudden cardiac
arrest, his or her heart develops an abnormal heart rhythm known as an
arrhythmia. This arrhythmia causes the heart to stop beating and the afflicted
person will pass out. Thus, restoring a normal rhythm is imperative to
reestablishing blood and oxygen flow to the individual’s brain and vital organs.
